Scottish Executive

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to introduce specialised support facilities for adults with autism and/or Asperger’s Syndrome across health boards, social work departments and local authorities.

Malcolm Chisholm: The learning disability review, The same as you? , explored the needs of people with autism and learning disability. Twenty-nine recommendations were made, including assessment of local need by local authorities and health boards, and the establishment of a national service network for people with autistic spectrum disorder and a Scottish Centre for Learning Disabilities.

  Health boards and local authorities were also encouraged to identify a named professional who would be responsible for improving local services and linking into the national network.

  The Partnership in Practice agreements, due to be submitted in June, should include proposals for meeting the needs locally of adults with autism.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are being taken to assist people diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome in making the transition from school to employment or further education.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Executive is committed to supporting individuals with additional support needs into further education, training or employment.

  The Scottish Executive Innovation Grants Programme is providing £6 million over three years from April 1999 to support voluntary and non-statutory organisations in the area of special educational needs. Autism has been highlighted as a priority and the programme is currently providing over £500,000 to four voluntary organisations to run six projects specifically aimed at supporting children and their families with autistic spectrum disorder.

  In response to the Beattie Committee, we have made available additional resources of £22.6 million over three years to take forward action. £15.1 million is available for the development of key worker support, improved identification of learning and support needs and tracking. Careers service companies have been asked to co-ordinate multi-agency bids for imaginative projects to improve transition for Scotland’s most vulnerable young people including those with Asperger’s Syndrome.

  The Learning Disabilities Review recognised the need for more support for people with autistic spectrum disorder. In response to the review, local authorities and health boards will identify named professionals who will be responsible for improving local services for people with autism, linking into a national network.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients within psychiatric wards have been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome in the last three years, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) health board.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the table.

  Due to the small number of patients identified, this table has only been split by age for males and has not been split by health board for males or females. This avoids divulging personal information.

  Patients1 discharged from psychiatric wards2 in Scotland during financial years 1997-98 to 1999-2000 with a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome3

  


Age Group 
  

Number of Patients 
  



Males 
  



All Ages 
  

45 
  



Under 15 
  

6 
  



15-24 
  

26 
  



25-44 
  

13 
  



45-64 
  

- 
  



65-74 
  

- 
  



75+ 
  

- 
  



Females 
  



All Ages 
  

4 
  



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR04.

  Notes:

  1. Patients who are discharged more than once during the three-year period are only counted once in the above table. In such cases, age is determined at the date of last discharge.

  2. In-patient discharges from psychiatric specialties in mental illness hospitals, psychiatric units and learning disability hospitals

  3. Defined as code F84.5 in the International Classification of Diseases, Volume 10 (ICD10).

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail all research projects carried out on Asperger’s Syndrome; what the costs were of each project, and who met these costs.

Susan Deacon: Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department is aware of 46 recently completed or ongoing studies into Asperger’s Syndrome in the UK, three of which are in Scotland. None of these have been funded by the CSO. Details of the projects are available from the National Research Register, a copy of which is in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adults diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome have had a Community Care Assessment in the last three years, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) health board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Cancer

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has raised with Her Majesty’s Government the recent report by Sir Richard Doll published by the National Radiological Protection Board regarding electromagnetic fields and the risk of cancer.

Malcolm Chisholm: The study was carried out by the Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation on behalf of the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) Board. The Executive continues to be in close contact with other UK Health Departments to consider the findings of the report.

  The Executive fully supports the report’s recommendation that the current uncertainty indicates a need for further research. The UK Government is funding its own studies and providing support for the multinational Electromagnetic Fields Project set up and co-ordinated by the World Health Organisation. The UK Government will also work with the NRPB to begin new research into the factors that lead to certain households having higher levels of EMFs.

Charity Shops

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether charity shops are allowed to sell new goods and who is responsible for their regulation.

Angus MacKay: Yes, charity shops are allowed to sell new goods. In order to qualify for rates relief, charity shops must be wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes. To satisfy this condition the shop must be used wholly or mainly for the sale of goods donated to the charity and the net proceeds of sale must be applied for the purposes of the charity. This is a matter primarily for local authorities.

Child Protection

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it plans to make to the joint operation between Scottish police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation that led to capture of an internet child sex pornographer and whether it will make increased police numbers available to deal with such international child protection issues.

Mr Jim Wallace: Effective co-operation between law enforcement agencies is an important element in the fight against crime. Record levels of funding mean that, by next year, the number of police officers in Scotland should be the highest ever. This will better enable the police to tackle all forms of crime, including internet child pornography, although the deployment of police officers remains a matter for Chief Constables.

Community Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many claimants who are currently receiving funds from the Independent Living Fund also pay part of their own care costs; what this figure is as a percentage of the total number of claimants receiving funds from the fund in Scotland, and what the total amount of care costs contributed by such claimants is.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Independent Living Fund is funded by DSS and data relating to this matter is not held by the Scottish Executive.

Contraception

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12771 by Susan Deacon on 23 February 2001, which NHS Trusts and health boards (a) currently authorise or (b) plan to authorise school nurses to make the emergency contraceptive Levonelle available to children over 12 years of age.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Defence

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last reviewed emergency plans for dealing with potential accidents involving nuclear submarines.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Ministry of Defence, emergency services, local authorities and health boards review procedures for dealing with emergencies which may arise at submarine bases at least annually. The procedures are also reviewed in the light of issues raised by actual incidents and by the regular exercises which are held within the UK and elsewhere.

Drug Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what help is currently available to people who are addicted to valium or other benzodiazepines and what steps it intends to take to improve the help available to such people.

Susan Deacon: Addiction to benzodiazepines is part of the wider drug misuse problem. Help is, therefore, available from the wide range of services which cater for people with misuse problems. Depending on the locality, these measures include general medical services and primary health care teams, psychiatric services, community psychiatric nurses, mental health nurses, psychological services and counselling. Also accessible to most drug misusers are drug problem centres, voluntary agencies and self-help groups and counselling services. This list is not definitive.

  Treatment and rehabilitation funding forms an important part of the £100 million package which the Executive has made available for tackling drug misuse. We are determined to break the cycle of misuse which leads to the many other problems associated with drugs. That is why we have committed an extra £10 million for treatment services and £21 million for rehabilitation over the next three years.

Drug Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to improve GP awareness of the dangers of long-term addiction to valium and other benzodiazepines and to ensure that GPs adhere to guidelines relating to the prescription of such drugs.

Susan Deacon: The dangers of long-term addiction to benzodiazepines are well recognised and information about the prescribing of these medicines is available to GPs from a number of sources. Importantly, the British National Formulary (BNF), issued free to doctors and pharmacists, provides key information for health professionals on how to use medicines safely and effectively. In addition, in 1988, the Committee on Safety of Medicines issued guidelines to doctors on the use of benzodiazepines. These guidelines remain extant.

  General practitioners take responsibility for their own learning needs as part of the process of lifelong learning and maintenance of clinical skills. The Scottish Executive supports this through payment of an annual Post Graduate Education Allowance to GPs. In addition we would expect all GPs to keep up-to-date with current practice and clinical guidelines in all relevant clinical areas as part of their continuing professional development.

Drug Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people who committed suicide in each of the last three years had an addiction to valium or other benzodiazepines.

Susan Deacon: Information on the number of people with an addiction to valium or other benzodiazepines who have committed suicide in each of the three years is not held centrally. However, the number of suicides where a benzodiazepine was recorded as being present at the time of death is as follows:

  


1997 
  

32 
  



1998 
  

38 
  



1999 
  

26 
  



  These figures, it should be noted, include deaths where it is undetermined whether the injury was purposely or accidentally inflicted. This is normal practice when collecting information on suicides. Also, in many instances other drugs were recorded, for example, methadone and heroin.

  Of the above deaths the following numbers were known to be dependent drug misusers, though the drug of abuse may not have been a benzodiazepine:

  


1997 
  

9 
  



1998 
  

11 
  



1999 
  

10

Drug Misuse

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the amount of money to be distributed to each local authority from the latest additional funding package of £100 million allocated to tackling the problem of drugs across Scotland.

Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-13043 on 5 February 2001, which sets out the distribution arrangements for the new £100 million drugs money. Details of the distribution to local authorities, along with accountability mechanisms, are set out in a package of information and guidance which was issued to all Drug Action Teams shortly following the distribution announcement. This information is available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre and on the Drug Misuse in Scotland website.

Drug Misuse

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria will be used to determine the distribution of the latest additional funding package of £100 million allocated to tackling the problem of drugs across Scotland, and what weighting will be given to (a) deprivation factors, (b) population and (c) the number of drug-related deaths.

Iain Gray: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-13043 on 5 February 2001, which contains detailed information on the distribution of the additional £100 million drugs expenditure package. Distribution arrangements detailing the weighting given to deprivation and population factors where appropriate, are set out in the resource information and guidance pack issued to Drug Action Teams which is available from the Parliament Reference Centre and the Drug Misuse in Scotland website.

  It was not practicable to give special weighting to the number of drug-related deaths in the national distribution arrangements. It is anticipated, however, that the wide-ranging package of measures announced will impact significantly on the drug misuse problem, and help achieve the Executive’s published target of reducing the number of drug-related deaths by at least 25% by 2005.

Education

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10595 by Mr Jack McConnell on 20 November 2000, what measures it has taken, or intends to take, to combat the decline in the number of presentations of pupils in technological studies at Standard Grade and Higher Grade.

Mr Jack McConnell: While the curriculum offered in schools is a matter for headteachers and local authorities, the Scottish Executive has taken a number of steps to address the decline in uptake of technological studies. These include:

  asking the Scottish Qualifications Authority to review the current Standard Grade course and modernise its content. A further consultation on this has recently concluded, with the report expected shortly;

  commissioning the development of teaching materials to support the revised course;

  the distribution of a publicity leaflet to headteachers and guidance staff promoting the value of the revised course;

  holding a conference at which education authorities were alerted to the developments taking place in technological studies and the production of teaching materials;

  developing an Intermediate 2 course to assist those pupils who were unlikely to achieve Higher in S5, and

  the publication of HMI Effective Learning and Teaching report which promoted the value of technical education for pupils.

Education

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have distributed all of the funding allocated to them under the Excellence Fund to their schools; what proportion of funding each of the local authorities which have not distributed all of their funding to schools has retained centrally; whether any such centrally retained funding can be spent for purposes other than those specified under the Excellence Fund and, if not, how it checks that such funding is spent solely for the purposes specified.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Executive does not collect information at the detailed level which would be necessary to identify the extent to which Excellence Fund resources are distributed for direct spending by schools. In terms of the grant offer letter and the claim forms which have to be submitted for each programme of the fund, authorities give undertakings that the grant has been used for the purposes for which it has been offered. The detailed distribution of funding will differ from programme to programme and authority to authority.

Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it is making with the Roman Catholic Church to ensure that the Scottish Qualification for Headship includes optional elements that reflect the particular duties that relate to headship of Catholic Schools.

Mr Jack McConnell: We recognise the Catholic Education Commission’s wish for an additional Catholic dimension to the Scottish Qualification for Headship and are discussing this with the Catholic Education Commission and the Higher Education Institutes.

Environmental Health

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many environmental health officers were employed in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.

Farmers

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to give tenant farmers the right to purchase their farm holdings when they become available on the open market.

Ross Finnie: No. I explained the Executive’s position on this matter in my reply to Mike Watson on 19 November 1999.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is currently taking to contain and eradicate foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: A comprehensive cull of sheep within Infected Areas will get under way very soon. Similar radical action is being taken with the limited number of dangerous contacts in other parts of the country. Controls on the movement of cattle, sheep and pigs remain in place. These are being relaxed depending upon the level of assessed risk in different parts of the country.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a major factor in spreading foot-and-mouth disease has been the practice of sending animals on lengthy journeys to slaughter.

Ross Finnie: All aspects of this very serious disease outbreak will be carefully reviewed once the outbreak has been eliminated. The movement of stock is likely to be one of the issues which is addressed.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it is undertaking on providing support for tourism in Dumfries and Galloway in the light of the anticipated downturn as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: I visited Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board on Friday 16 March to discuss the position at first hand with tourism businesses.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has made of (a) the loss to tourism in the light of the immediate restrictions on travel and visiting recommended as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, (b) the medium-term impact on tourism and tourist businesses if the restrictions were to continue in place for more than one month and (c) the long-term impact on tourism and tourist businesses through adverse publicity generated by the outbreak, broken down by electoral region.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Visitscotland estimate that the cost to the tourism industry in Scotland is currently £10 million per week. The month of April is normally worth around £230 million. Looking further ahead, we have put in place an Economic Impact Group to estimate the effects on the tourism and other industries. That group is collecting comprehensive information from around Scotland. In due course we will provide reliable estimates of the medium and long-term effects.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult widely within the tourist industry and, in particular, with tourist businesses in Dumfries and Galloway so that it is fully aware of any hardship and difficulties being caused for the industry as a result of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, and whether it will consider a compensation scheme for the industry.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: I am fully aware of the problems that the tourism industry is facing. I met representatives of tourism businesses in Dumfries and Galloway on 16 March. I had a meeting earlier in the week with businesses in Perthshire. We are looking at ways in which we can assist the industry both at the UK and Scottish level.

Football

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3070 by Allan Wilson on 8 March 2001, when the guidance on the setting up of football supporters’ trusts is expected to be completed.

Allan Wilson: We shall address the need for and structure of guidance in the course of a seminar in the spring. The seminar will assess issues relating to supporters’ trusts and the wider relationship between football clubs and their communities.

Further Education

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what progress is being made in widening access to further education.

Henry McLeish: I am delighted to be able to say that on Monday 19 March, Wendy Alexander, Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning announced a £19.5 million package of new support measures for further education students. The new measures will improve levels of support for thousands of further education students from autumn 2001, particularly those from low income families and will for the first time create a level playing field for students on FE and HE courses.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13203 by Mr Alasdair Morrison on 22 February 2001, when it will announce the date of commencement of training of Gaelic-medium teachers at Lews Castle College.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The establishment of the proposed course is a matter for the college in consultation with Strathclyde University and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. I expect an announcement to be made in due course.

General Practitioners

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to ensure that the candidate who fills the vacant post of general practitioner for Helmsdale is based in Helmsdale after appointment.

Susan Deacon: The arrangements to fill the vacancy following the resignation of the General Practitioner at Helmsdale are matters for the Scottish Medical Practices Committee and Highland Primary Care NHS Trust.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the health service in the Forth Valley Health Board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Susan Deacon met with the Chairmen and Chief Executives of Forth Valley Health Board and Forth Valley Acute Hospitals Trust on 5 September 2000. Scottish Executive officials maintain regular contact with the board and the Trust.

Health

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to examine the issue of the parking costs faced by community nurses and health visitors in the course of their work.

Malcolm Chisholm: Provision already exists for local authorities to issue parking passes for use by community nurses and health visitors making visits.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS patients are offered appointments at facilities outwith their local health board area each month.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not centrally available.

  Many patients will routinely be treated outwith their local health board area if, for example, they require specialist services which are not provided locally.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS patients are offered appointments at private facilities outwith their local health board area each month.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Historic Scotland

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Historic Scotland will consider a grant application to repair Cramond Weir now that the question of the weir’s ownership has been resolved.

Allan Wilson: I have asked Graeme Munro, Director and Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to answer. His response is as follows:

  It is open to anyone who is in a position to undertake repairs to the weir and to maintain the structure thereafter to seek financial assistance from Historic Scotland towards the cost of the repair. Any such application will be considered alongside other bids for financial assistance.

Justice

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is reviewing practices in the court system with a view to a more modern image being conveyed.

Mr Jim Wallace: The work of the courts is kept under review in a variety of ways to ensure that the practices and procedures of the courts meet modern requirements.

Less Favoured Areas

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13385 by Ross Finnie on 28 February 2001, whether it will provide figures for the percentage of beef and sheep farmers who were eligible for the previous Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance who will be worse off under the new less favoured area formula, broken down by Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department local office area, for those areas from which claims have been processed and analysed to date.

Ross Finnie: Analysis based on claims processed to date could be misleading. I shall make analysis available once all Less-Favoured Area Support Scheme claims have been analysed and processed.

Less Favoured Areas

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13385 by Ross Finnie on 28 February 2001, when it expects the figures to be processed and analysed for each Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department local office area, and whether it will make the figures available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Ross Finnie: The immediate priority is to ensure payments are made to eligible farmers and crofters as soon as possible. Analysis will be completed over the coming months and shall be made available to the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Less Favoured Areas

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-12634 and S1W-13385 by Ross Finnie on 2 February and 28 February 2001 respectively, how it is able to give the figures detailed in the answer to S1W-12634 for Kintyre but not for other Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department local office areas.

Ross Finnie: Early estimates of the impact of the Less-Favoured Area Support Scheme were prepared as a guide. I shall make a full analysis available once all claims have been processed and analysed.

Lifelong Learning

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest figures are on the take-up of Individual Learning Accounts.

Ms Wendy Alexander: As at 28 February 2001, 56,800 Individual Learning Accounts have been opened in Scotland. By then, account holders had registered for a total of 13,545 learning episodes.

Local Government

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any legal impediment preventing local authorities from using videoconferencing facilities during the course of statutory meetings.

Peter Peacock: The question of whether or not it would be legitimate for local authorities to hold meetings at which some members would be present in person and others would participate by video conference is of course ultimately for the courts. However, in the Executive’s view the relevant statutory provisions, in Schedule 7 to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, are drafted in terms which indicate that a meeting will be held in one place. That would appear to preclude the holding of a meeting in two places, albeit linked by video conference.

  The Renewing Local Democracy Group recommended a review of legislation in this area. The recommendations of the Renewing Local Democracy Group are currently being considered by a Ministerial Working Group. Ministers are always looking for ways to improve current practices and will consider acting as and when suitable opportunities arise.

Marriage

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, for each year from 1995 to 2000, how many persons registered under section 9 of the Marriages (Scotland) Act 1977 have subsequently had that registration removed because of the grounds specified in section 10 (1) (d) (ii) of that Act.

Iain Gray: None.

Meat Industry

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will end the transportation of live animals on long journeys to slaughter and adopt a policy of local slaughter and long haul transportation of carcasses only.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is taking all necessary steps to contain and eradicate foot-and-mouth disease from livestock in Scotland. This is the first priority.

  Most slaughter is taking place locally and this is being encouraged. However, having taken advice from the Chief Veterinary Officer on this matter, it is not proposed to ban longer journeys of livestock to slaughter.

Meat Industry

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the re-opening of local abattoirs in order to help local farms to alleviate any suffering of animals on long journeys and to help curb the spread of disease.

Ross Finnie: Virtually all of the abattoirs which were closed as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak have now reopened to handle livestock movement for slaughter. This makes outlets available locally.

Meat Industry

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider recommending that supermarkets adopt a policy of buying local meat from local abattoirs.

Ross Finnie: In my discussions with retailers I strongly encourage them to source more produce from Scotland.

Ministers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13519 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 2 March 2001, whether adherence to the ministerial code is checked or supervised by the First Minister and, if so, whether the First Minister will provide an answer to the question, rather than the minister whose actions the question pertains to.

Henry McLeish: I am satisfied that the minister has complied with the terms of the Ministerial Code.

Mobile Phones

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the results of its consultation on planning controls over mobile telecommunication masts.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive intends to introduce new planning controls by mid–2001.

Mobile Phones

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take following the publication of Power Frequency Electromagnetic Fields and the Risk of Cancer by the National Radiological Protection Board.

Susan Deacon: I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1O-3093 on 15 March 2001.

Mortality

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) men and (b) women aged under 35 died in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by cause of death.

Mr Jim Wallace: The table gives information on the number of deaths aged under 35 in Scotland. It also gives figures for the principal causes of death affecting this age group. More detailed data on cause of death may be found in the Annual Report of the Registrar General for Scotland. Each year all MSPs receive a copy of this report. It may also be found on the General Register Office for Scotland website (http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk).

  


Deaths aged under 35, selected causes, by sex, Scotland 
  



Cause of death 
  

ICD9 code 
  

1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  



Males 
  

Females 
  



All causes 
  




1,204 
  

1,223 
  

1,110 
  

1,151 
  

1,146 
  

597 
  

569 
  

515 
  

531 
  

502 
  



of which







Suicide (incl. "undetermined") 
  

E950-9, E980-9 
  

250 
  

256 
  

282 
  

268 
  

285 
  

60 
  

75 
  

75 
  

72 
  

70 
  



Drug dependence 
  

304 
  

111 
  

125 
  

102 
  

125 
  

147 
  

28 
  

30 
  

20 
  

27 
  

31 
  



Motor vehicle traffic accidents 
  

E810-819 
  

157 
  

144 
  

154 
  

133 
  

121 
  

57 
  

39 
  

41 
  

43 
  

38 
  



Cancer 
  

140-208 
  

70 
  

75 
  

63 
  

72 
  

78 
  

69 
  

86 
  

66 
  

62 
  

63 
  



Perinatal conditions 
  

760-779 
  

91 
  

103 
  

82 
  

98 
  

73 
  

87 
  

76 
  

58 
  

67 
  

53 
  



Congenital anomalies 
  

740-759 
  

80 
  

76 
  

66 
  

71 
  

59 
  

64 
  

63 
  

59 
  

60 
  

44 
  



Homicide 
  

E960-969 
  

48 
  

51 
  

35 
  

42 
  

49 
  

11 
  

22 
  

7 
  

9 
  

10 
  



Ischaemic heart disease 
  

410-414 
  

16 
  

14 
  

19 
  

17 
  

16 
  

9 
  

5 
  

4 
  

5 
  

6 
  



Cerebrovascular disease 
  

430-438 
  

16 
  

11 
  

7 
  

16 
  

13 
  

15 
  

12 
  

7 
  

9 
  

11

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review current financial targets for NHSiS Trusts, given that eight out of 28 had a financial deficit at 31 August 2000.

Susan Deacon: Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change stated that: "we will review existing financial systems to ensure that resources flow and are managed in a way that is effective, efficient and accountable. The review will provide initial propsals for change by March 2001"

  This includes a review of Trust financial targets. The review will take into account the requirement to maintain high standards of financial management and control.

NHS Training

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether training budgets in the NHSiS are sufficient to meet the training and professional development needs of staff.

Susan Deacon: Health boards and NHS Trusts are responsible for the training and continuing development of their staff, other than those aspects managed centrally by bodies such as the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education. It is for boards and Trusts to budget so that sufficient priority is given to providing resources for this vital activity. They will have been assisted in this by my announcement on 21 September last year of a 6.5% increase in health board funding.

  The policy framework for learning in NHSScotland is provided by Learning Together, the Education, Training and Lifelong Learning Strategy, and through guidance on Clinical Governance. In addition, the Scottish Executive Health Department is providing £6 million of central funding over three years to support the development of good practice in learning and the use of learning resources. Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change introduces a new Staff Governance Standard and makes the commitment of NHS bodies to implementing Learning Together a core element of their performance against that standard.

NHS Waiting Lists

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are removed each month from NHS Trust waiting lists having declined an appointment at a private facility, broken down by NHS Trust.

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are removed each month from NHS Trust waiting lists having declined an appointment at a private facility outwith their local health board area, broken down by NHS Trust.

Susan Deacon: None. Current guidance on the completion of waiting list returns makes it clear that if an NHS patient declines an appointment for treatment at any private facility, then they should remain on the NHS Trust’s in-patient/day case waiting list until they are admitted to hospital for treatment.

Nursing

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current ratio of nurses per 100 beds in NHS hospitals is in each health board area.

Susan Deacon: The data available centrally does not allow a robust comparison of the staffing levels per bed in each health board. Given the variation in health needs and health care in each area, it is in any case doubtful that such ratios would provide meaningful comparisons.

Planning

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received about a new stadium for Falkirk Football Club.

Allan Wilson: Four letters have been received, two of which express opposition to the proposed new stadium with two in favour.

Planning

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to give additional funding to local authorities for the replacement of play equipment in public parks which does not meet EU safety standards.

Peter Peacock: We are providing local authorities with £1.2 billion in additional support over the next three years, including a 40% increase in their allocations for capital investment. It is for each authority to ensure that its facilities meet appropriate safety standards.

Planning

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will expand the guidelines set out in National Planning Policy Guidelines 11 – Sport, Physical Recreation and Open Space to include guidelines on the provision of play equipment in public parks.

Sarah Boyack: Yes. A Planning Advice Note will be prepared to complement the guidance in NPPG 11. The PAN will take account of recently published research and highlight how local authorities can improve the quality and provision of all forms of open space.

Ports

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote and assist with the possible development of a super port at Scapa Bay in Orkney.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive is aware of the study commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Orkney Islands Council, and the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to examine the feasibility of creating an offshore container hub port in Orkney, and awaits with interest the results of the further studies which need to be carried out to take forward the proposal.

Pre-School Education

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in providing pre-school education for three- and four-year-olds.

Nicol Stephen: We have already achieved our target of a free, quality part-time pre-school education place for every four-year-old whose parents want it.

  By the end of the school year we expect participation to rise to approximately 80% of eligible three-year-olds and to complete full provision by April 2002.

Road Accidents

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6842 by Sarah Boyack on 30 May 2000, in relation to how many of the road traffic accidents which took place on the A71 in each of the last five years were winter weather conditions reported as an attributable factor, broken down by local authority area and specifying in each case the number of fatalities and serious injuries.

Sarah Boyack: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage only accidents.

  Accidents for which winter weather conditions were reported as an attributable factor are not identified as such in the STATS 19 returns. The returns do, however, include information about the weather and the road surface condition at the time of the accident. The table below gives the number of injury road accidents which were identified in the STATS 19 returns as occurring on the A71, for which the weather was described as "snowing" or the road surface condition was described as "snow" or "frost/ice", together with the numbers of associated fatalities and serious casualties. The information is broken down by local authority area.

  It should be noted that the statistics given below are based upon the data which are held in the central statistical database and which were collected by the police at the time of the accident and subsequently reported to the Executive. They may differ from any figures which the local authorities would provide now, because they do not take account of any subsequent changes or corrections that local authorities may have made to the statistical information, for use at local level, about the location of each accident, based upon their knowledge of the roads and areas concerned.

  Injury road accidents occurring on the A71, for which the weather was described as "snowing" or the road surface condition was described as "snow" or "frost/ice", and the associated numbers of fatalities and seriously-injured casualties, as reported in the "STATS 19" statistical returns.

  


Local Authority 
  

Year 
  

Injury road accidents 
  

Fatalities 
  

Seriously-injured casualties 
  



Edinburgh 
  

1995 
  

3 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1996 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1997 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1998 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1999 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



West Lothian 
  

1995 
  

3 
  

0 
  

1 
  



1996 
  

2 
  

0 
  

1 
  



1997 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1998 
  

4 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1999 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

1995 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1996 
  

2 
  

0 
  

1 
  



1997 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1998 
  

6 
  

0 
  

1 
  



1999 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

1995 
  

3 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1996 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1997 
  

2 
  

1 
  

1 
  



1998 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1999 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

1995 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1996 
  

2 
  

0 
  

1 
  



1997 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1998 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1999 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

1995 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1996 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1997 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1998 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



1999 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0

Roads

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12726 by Sarah Boyack on 23 January 2001, whether it will provide further details of how the comparative costs were calculated, in particular whether weightings were attached to any or all of the bids, what any such weightings were and whether it will publish the values of the bids before any adjustments were made.

Sarah Boyack: The tenderer’s quoted rates were multiplied by the base quantities for the relevant items derived by the Scottish Executive. The sum of these products was then totalled with the tenderer’s lump sums to give each tenderer’s "comparative cost of tender". A series of pre-determined sensitivity tests were undertaken within a prescribed range. Weightings were applied to the total emerging from each sensitivity test – the "adjusted comparative cost of tender" – and the "comparative cost of tender" and these weighted values added to give the "overall comparative cost of tender".

  The assessment procedure was described in the Instructions for Tendering for each competition. A specimen copy of the Instructions for Tendering is available in the Parliaments Reference Centre. The "overall comparative cost of tenders" for each bid in each competition was published in my response to question S1W-12726. Further information is commercially sensitive and the Scottish Executive has no plans for publication.

Scotland Week

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes to hold another Scotland Week in Brussels or elsewhere.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is currently considering – with its partners in Scotland House - how it might build on the success of the Scotland Week which was held in Brussels in October 1999, and I hope to announce our intentions before the Easter recess.

Scottish Executive Publications

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13048 by Henry McLeish on 16 February 2001, how many copies of  Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government have to date been (a) distributed free of charge to recipients and (b) sold, and how many people have accessed the document on the Executive’s website.

Henry McLeish: 1,867 copies of Working together for Scotland: A Programme for Government have been distributed free of charge to recipients, and 35 copies have been sold through The Stationery Office Bookshop.

  Information on the number of people who have accessed the document on the Executive’s website is not available.

Scottish Opera

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the First Minister, further to the answer to question S1W-14238 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 16 March 2001, what increase in funding there has been for Scottish Opera between the previously projected allocations for the years 2000-01 to 2003-04 and the amounts now allocated.

Henry McLeish: Scottish Opera will receive an additional £1.9 million this year and £1 million in each of the next three years.

Sex Education

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the production of the new sex education materials recommended by the Working Group on Sex Education.

Mr Jack McConnell: Prior to parliamentary approval of the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Act 2000, ministers undertook, before commencing the repeal of S.2A of the Local Government Act 1986, to publish the new materials on sex education. I am pleased to be able to announce that the following materials have been published today:

  A Guide for Parents and Carers;

  Guidance for Schools and Local Authorities on Effective Consultation with Parents and Carers;

  A Summary of National Advice on Sex Education, and

  A Circular to Directors of Education: Standard’s in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000 – Conduct of Sex Education in Scottish Schools.

  I am grateful to LTScotland for taking forward this process on our behalf. They have consulted widely about these documents. In the light of the consultation responses, the documents have been improved and amended and the Guide for Parents and Carers has been rewritten.

  The process has been overseen by a Reference Group chaired by Mike McCabe who chaired the original Working Group on Sex Education. Some other members of the working group were also represented on the Reference Group. The Reference Group has endorsed all of the materials published today. I am sure that they will be a welcome additional resource to teachers and schools as they develop their policies in these important areas.

  The publication of these materials fulfils the commitments that Scottish Executive ministers gave last year. Copies of the documents are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. The Commencement Order to commence the relevant provisions in the Ethical Standards in Public Life Etc (Scotland) Act 2000 takes effect on 29 March.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the statistics on the proportion of people living in poverty contained in its Social Justice Annual Report 2000 exclude homeless people living rough or in bed and breakfast accommodation.

Jackie Baillie: The statistics on the proportion of people living in income poverty are based on data collected by the Department of Social Security’s Family Resources Survey (FRS).

  The FRS is a survey of private households in Great Britain, and as such does not cover those areas of the population living outside private households e.g. students in halls of residence, people living in nursing and residential homes, people in hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation, and people sleeping rough.

  Most Government surveys are based on private households, as it is expensive and in some cases impractical to collect data on people living outwith private households.

  The Social Justice Annual Report covers issues surrounding people sleeping rough and temporary accommodation through specific milestones.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the statistics on the proportion of people living in poverty contained in its Social Justice Annual Report 2000 exclude people living north of the Caledonian Canal.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive’s statistics on the proportion of people living in income poverty do not exclude people living north of the Caledonian Canal.

  The statistics are based on data collected by the Department of Social Security’s Family Resources Survey (FRS). In common with some other household surveys, the Scottish Islands and the area to the north of the Caledonian Canal were excluded from the FRS sample due to the costs of carrying out fieldwork in these areas. Although they were not included in the sample, it was assumed that their income levels were similar to the rest of Scotland, and the overall estimates for Scotland represent the whole household population.

  To improve the quality of the Scottish data, the Scottish Executive has provided funding for DSS to extend the coverage of the survey to the Scottish Islands and the area north of the Caledonian Canal. This change will take effect from April 2001 and the first results on the new basis will cover the financial year 2001-02.

Social Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the statistics on the number of people living in poverty contained in its Social Justice Annual Report 2000 exclude people living in institutions such as nursing homes and residential homes for the elderly and in houses in multiple occupancy.

Jackie Baillie: The statistics on the proportion of people living in income poverty are based on data collected by the Department of Social Security’s Family Resources Survey (FRS).

  The FRS is a survey of private households in Great Britain, and as such does not cover those areas of the population living outside private households e.g. people living in nursing and residential homes. People living in multiple occupancy houses are included if the household is a private household.

  Most government surveys are based on private households, as it is expensive and in some cases impractical to collect data on people living outwith private households. There are also additional difficulties in applying the definition of income poverty to those living in institutions; one of the main assumptions behind the poverty analysis is that household income is a proxy indicator of standard of living and this assumption does not transfer to people living in institutions.

Special Educational Needs

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee’s 3rd Report 2001, Report on Inquiry into Special Educational Needs .

Nicol Stephen: Ministers hope to respond by 6 April 2001.

Suicide

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) men and (b) women committed suicide in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is given in the table. When analysing suicides it is conventional to include deaths due to "Injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted". For the sake of clarity, the two categories have also been shown separately in the table.

  


Suicides in Scotland 
  

1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  



Males 
  



Total 
  

625 
  

620 
  

655 
  

650 
  

663 
  



Suicide 
  

476 
  

435 
  

451 
  

486 
  

500 
  



Undetermined 
  

149 
  

185 
  

204 
  

164 
  

163 
  



Females 
  



Total 
  

211 
  

226 
  

219 
  

228 
  

211 
  



Suicide 
  

147 
  

162 
  

148 
  

163 
  

137 
  



Undetermined 
  

64 
  

64 
  

71 
  

65 
  

74

Taxation

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made of the potential administrative costs of making use of the Scottish Parliament’s powers to increase or decrease the standard rate of income tax and, if so, what the outcome was.

Angus MacKay: An assessment of ongoing costs has not been made because the Executive has made it clear it will not use the power in this Parliament

Transport

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide any additional funding to encourage the use of "greener" vehicles and, if so, whether any such funding will come from the Scottish block or from the £69 million announced on 20 November 2000 by Her Majesty’s Government.

Sarah Boyack: In my statement of 28 September, I announced that funding for Powershift in Scotland would be boosted over the next three years to almost £3 million. That funding comes from within the Scottish Assigned Budget, whose total reflects the movement in comparable programmes in England.

Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines exist for the provision of signage on cycleways.

Sarah Boyack: Where the cycleway forms part of the public road network, only those signs specified by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 or authorised by the Scottish ministers may be used. Guidance on road signing, including signs for cycleways, is given in the Traffic Signs Manual , which is published by the Stationery Office. There is no legislation or associated guidance for signs on cycleways which do not form part of the public road network, such as forest cycle trails.

Transport

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any guidelines on the maximum number of cycleway and road signs to be provided at any one location.

Sarah Boyack: Guidance on road signing, including signs for cycleways, is given in the Traffic Signs Manual, which is published by the Stationery Office. Its purpose is to provide traffic authorities with the codes to be followed in the use, siting and illumination of road signs. Decisions on placing signs and the numbers of signs required in any given situation are for the relevant traffic authority.

Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to allow the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive to retain revenue generated as a result of investment in new facilities.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is looking to the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive to provide more detailed information so that further consideration may be given to this matter.

Voluntary Sector

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to ensure that no Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) will receive less funding under the new funding arrangements announced by the Minister for Communities on 4 October 2000, in particular in areas where for geographical reasons there is more than one CVS in a local authority area.

Jackie Baillie: Executive funding for the national network of Councils for Voluntary Service (CVS) will increase by £1.2 million in 2001-02, in addition to an extra £0.21 million this year. The increased funding recognises the strategic potential of the network in supporting the voluntary sector and communities.

  The Executive has funded seven new CVS in 2000-01, and from 2001-02 will give a minimum of £60,000 to every local authority area in Scotland, including for the first time six urban areas. No individual CVS will have its Executive grant reduced. Local authority areas where there are more than one CVS will receive at least an extra £30,000, and in Highland an extra £60,000. Total Executive funding for CVS in the Highlands and Islands will be £678,000 in 2001-02 out of a scheme total of £2.6 million.

Water Charges

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13417 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 28 February 2001 which outlined the revenue forgone by water authorities as a result of water charges relief, how it calculated these figures and with whom any consultation took place on the calculations.

Ross Finnie: These figures were calculated specifically to answer question S1W-13417. They were verified with the water authorities, on the basis of the reliefs they currently grant to the relevant bodies.

Youth Crime

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in respect of the recommendations in the report of the Advisory Group on Youth Crime.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive accepted the recommendations of the Advisory Group on Youth Crime on 9 June 2000. Immediate funding of £3.5 million was announced for distribution to local authorities in order to develop and support programmes which will challenge and change the behaviour of young offenders. A further £20 million is being made available over the next three years.

  Local authorities have established Youth Crime Teams and carried out audits of local services and needs. They are now drawing up local strategies to tackle youth crime and are expected to submit preliminary reports in March.

  The study into the legal implications of a review of the age of criminal responsibility is currently with the Scottish Law Commission. The feasibility study into a pilot scheme to extend the scope of the children’s hearings system to 16- and 17-year-old offenders is due to report by April. We will consult shortly on a National Strategy on youth crime. This will build on the principles set out in the Youth Crime Review and take into account the representations made during the post-publication consultation exercise.